TURK Teambuilding
by Shadow Haloed Angel
Summary: When Rufus reads about the latest corporate fad, he decides to take the Department of Administrative Affairs on a teambuilding activity with some unexpected consequences. RenoRufus, TsengElena, RudeTifa


Rufus hid, still unsure as to how he'd got here. It had seemed simple enough, a basic team-building exercise. It was the latest fashion in corporate activity - bonding. Apparently teams worked better when they got to know each other through these sort of crass activities. It bred respect, or something like that. Personally he always found fear worked perfectly well as a tactic. Fear and paperwork cowed even the most disobedient department into submission.

Well, almost every department.

That was why he was here now, or at least, part of the reason. The Department of Administrative Research, made up of the most dysfunctional group of people ever. The fact that they were trained in espionage and assassination made them an enemy to be reckoned with. Some internal sense of irony had therefore decreed that this was the obvious choice for their teambuilding activity, and he had booked it, hiring the necessary facilities

He still cursed that internal voice of ironic humour as he concealed himself as best he could in a corner. He also cursed his suit. Primarily white was not a good colour to be wearing in this place of UV light, luminosity and fluorescence. He was sure the lights didn't help, but at least everyone had that inconvenience. The Turks uniforms were dark in colour, apart, of course, from the shirt, which was worn better by some members than others.

It wasn't as if he was being pursued by all of them, for agai's sake. He'd only brought four, just as a test run. His most trusted Turks. Mostly. Tseng, Elena, Rude and Reno. He did routinely ask himself why on Gaia he trusted the loudmouth alcoholic, but he did. It didn't hurt of course that Reno was drop-dead gorgeous to look at, though Rufus would never tell him that.

They had had the safety briefing, and Rufus had been looking from face to face during it, observing reactions. Tseng had one eyebrow permanently quirked, as if in surprise at being asked to perform such an activity, but, as always, the Head of Department had hidden any emotions behind his schooled Wutaiain mask. Elena had a grin on her face of such malevolence that if Rufus had been in any doubt whatsoever of her loyalty, he would not have gone with about fifty feet of her. As it was, he wasn't sure about going within twenty. Rude, of course, was impossible to analyse. The glasses which perpetually masked his eyes were still in place. It was Reno's face that Rufus found most fascinating to watch, and the grin he pulled when they were told under no circumstances to climb the scenery left Rufus in no doubt that that was one rule at least which would be, as it were, shot to pieces within seconds of them being let loose in the hall.

The door had been opened, and the klaxon sounded for them to start. Then he'd heard the cry, in that distinctive slum accent...

"EVERYONE ON RUFUS!"

So he ran. He wasn't stupid. He ran, inwardly plotting all the unpleasant things he would do to Reno when they got out. All the possible disciplinary procedures, laid down in company regulations, which could possibly be pressed into service to make the redheaded Turk very uncomfortable.

Lost in these thoughts he jumped when there was a soft crash as said Turk dropped to the floor in front of him off the wall he had been hiding behind. Reno held a finger to his lips and grinned.

"No worries boss man, I gotcha covered..." he whispered, and took up a defensive position at the entrance to Rufus' hiding place.

Rufus blinked, unsure how to react. He hadn't been expecting this. he got up and whispered, hiding himself behind Reno as much as possible "Wha do you think you're doing?"

Reno rolled his eyes "Protectin you yo, now quit complainin..."

Rufus bit back the retort that if it hadn't been for Reno, he probably would not require protection.

"Ya really are stupid ain ya Ruffy, sometimes ' mean..." Reno's voice came, the words floating back as the Turk's eyes roamed the space, searching for threats. "Take the vest off fer a second, and take that fuckin jacke' off. Ya a sittin targe'. Sheesh, though ya an ya gre' brain d've figured tha ou by now, ya go black under there ain ya?"

Rufus blinked several times at being so addressed, but slipped back into the hidey hole and did exactly what Reno had told him. Reno looked back briefly and grinned "Tha's better...see? An ya go' a pre'y ho' body lurkin under all them layers..."

Rufus blushed, still not sure how to respond to the other. "Um... you're pretty hot yourself Reno..." he replied uncertainly, thrown offbalance by the line of conversation.

Reno turned around, staring into his eyes with an unreadable expression, as if trying to gauge whether Rufus was being genuine. The young president smiled nervously.

Across the other side of the hall, Tseng, who had been lurking with Elena, smiled and held a finger to his lips, then pointed over at Reno and Rufus, who could just be seen kissing in the entrance to where Rufus had been hiding. She smiled and squeezed his hand, then whispered "Well-spotted..." lifted her gun, and took aim.

Whil around him the 'pyoing' of lasers flashed and echoed, Rufus learned what it was like to be kissed by an expert, and he felt what it was like to be loved.

At the end off the game, they walked out together. Tseng and Elena, holding hands, though Elena was plotting revenge for Tseng shooting her just as she had been aiming at Rufus, though she hadn't been surprised, everyone knew he would protect the President with everything he had. Rude walked out, planning his evening - a shower and a trip to the Seventh to see the gorgeous barmaid. Then last, also holding hands, with nervous smiles on their faces, Reno and Rufus.

As each of them hung up their laserag vest and gun, Rufus squeezed Reno's hand. Perhpas some bonding had been done after all.


End file.
